Chapter 70
“What? What do you mean?”
Seoyul quickly explained to Yujin everything that had happened. Though he rambled in his flustered state, the experienced Yujin immediately understood what he was trying to say.
But even after hearing everything, he wasn’t as shocked as Seoyul.
“Calm down. There’s no guarantee Han Sejun only told the truth, and even if it is true, it’s okay. We came fully prepared.”
“But still…”
Despite being told to relax, Seoyul still couldn’t calm down. Anxiety had settled in a corner of his mind and wouldn’t leave.
Was it really just a simple worry?
Seoyul had never experienced anything like this before, so he couldn’t be certain. But something weighed on his mind, making it impossible for him to just walk away.
Yujin seemed to recognize this, sighing deeply as he offered an alternative.
“Then should we just check from a distance before leaving? You know that Guide Seo is Han Sejun’s target, right? Getting closer might actually cause more trouble.”
It was a reasonable point. Seoyul would only be a hindrance if he went, and in the worst case, he could be taken hostage.
So this was the most considerate option Yujin could offer. Seoyul recognized that and felt grateful for his willingness to make this choice.
“Thank you. Thank you so much, Team Leader.”
“Repay me with actions.”
With that, the two began making their way to where Dowoon was.
* * *
‘Damn it. It’s too solid.’
Contrary to their expectations that things would be fine, Dowoon was struggling quite a bit.
He had succeeded in entering and drawing attention, but that was as far as he got.
Instead of participating in combat directly, Han Sejun positioned his Esper subordinates at the front and continued the battle by supporting them with powerful barriers.
Being in the heart of enemy territory, they were outnumbered and growing increasingly tired as time passed.
This was especially difficult for Dowoon, whose energy had barely recovered. He had to hold out until Seoyul was rescued, but his injuries were gradually increasing.
‘Get a grip. This wasn’t unexpected.’
He figured someone like Han Sejun would know that Dowoon had been suffering from Guiding issues.
They had discussed in advance the high possibility that he would try to induce energy waste through a mass offensive like this. The longer it dragged on, the more disadvantaged Dowoon would be.
Despite predicting this, he had volunteered as bait because his presence was necessary to lure Han Sejun here.
That would increase the chances of Seoyul escaping safely.
‘I can hold out… a little longer.’
But Dowoon’s goal wasn’t to defeat him in battle either. After stalling for time like this until Seoyul escaped, support from the cooperating Guild was supposed to arrive.
‘Just until then…’
He conserved his strength as much as possible while they both played for time. Soon, the expected communication arrived.
—Cha Dowoon.
It was Yujin. But for some reason, his voice was rigid.
—We’ve been outplayed by Han Sejun. There will be no support from the Guild.
“What?”
Dowoon shouted as he sent an attacking Esper flying far away.
“What do you mean?!”
No support from the Guild? Outplayed by Han Sejun? Then could it be…
“What about Seoyul?! Is Seoyul safe?!”
Fear washed over him at the news of the operation’s failure.
What if something happened to Seoyul… what would he do?
—Don’t worry about that. He’s with me right now.
Dowoon sighed in relief upon hearing this. As long as Seoyul was safe, everything was fine. Without support… it would be difficult, but Seoyul was safe, wasn’t he?
—More importantly, if your energy was fully recovered, could you handle things there?
Yujin was asking a strange question. Wasn’t the answer obvious? Even without follow-up support, there were other excellent Espers with him. With fully recovered energy, they could certainly handle Han Sejun together.
But recovering energy right now was impossible…
“You don’t mean…!”
Dowoon’s eyes widened at the sudden realization.
No support would be coming, but if an S-class Esper’s energy was recovered, the operation could proceed without problems.
And there was a Guide here who could perfectly Guide that S-class Esper.
“No! Absolutely not! I know what you’re planning, but I won’t allow—”
—Enough! We’re almost there, so shake off those pests and come quickly!
Yujin was adamant. Just as the communication cut off, Dowoon turned his head and saw Yujin’s face in the distance, along with the person he had longed to see.
“Seoyul.”
* * *
Although Yujin had thought there wouldn’t be major problems, the situation changed dramatically with a sudden radio transmission.
“Looks like what Guide Seo said was true after all.”
“Pardon?”
As Seoyul tilted his head in confusion at the incomprehensible statement, Yujin continued explaining.
“You said Han Sejun has the ability to see the future, right?”
Could it be…
Seoyul’s face turned pale. Yujin quickly continued his explanation.
“Cha Dowoon isn’t in a condition to fight for long. He agreed to buy time until we escape. The Guild was supposed to handle Han Sejun afterward, but…”
He frowned as if troubled. Then, in a resigned voice, he continued.
“It’s become difficult to receive support from the Guild. It seems Han Sejun has taken measures to tie them down. This is dangerous.”
Dangerous.
‘Esper-nim is… in danger…’
Seoyul numbly repeated the word. Han Sejun’s words were gradually becoming a reality in the near future.
Would Dowoon really die? Like this, to Han Sejun…
“Guide Seo!”
Yujin’s voice snapped Seoyul out of his deep thoughts. He shouted, looking at Seoyul with determined eyes.
“Focus. If you meet Cha Dowoon right now, can you Guide him?”
It seemed… possible. There was no way he couldn’t Guide Dowoon. Just hearing his name made his heart swell with emotion, so it couldn’t be impossible.
Seoyul nodded quietly and answered.
“Y-yes, I can.”
“Good. Fortunately, we haven’t fled yet. We’re going to run to where Cha Dowoon is, and as soon as we arrive, start Guiding him. You need to pour in as much as you can to restore him to perfect condition. Can you do that?”
Seoyul nodded, listening to every word of the rapidly delivered instructions. Without a moment’s delay, Yujin grabbed his hand and started running.
With his body not fully recovered, Seoyul was quickly out of breath. But driven by the single thought of saving Dowoon, he endured and kept running.
‘Esper-nim… I need to Guide Esper-nim.’
As he repeated this to himself, he could hear Yujin communicating with someone. But Seoyul didn’t have the luxury to pay attention to that.
His vision was swimming from worry and anxiety about Dowoon, as well as from trying to catch his breath, which was coming in short gasps.
“Enough! We’re almost there, so shake off those pests and come quickly!”
With Yujin’s irritated words, the two of them exited the building.
In the distance, he could see organization members and familiar Espers engaged in combat, all mixed together. Even at a glance, the organization members were too numerous, which caused Seoyul concern.
‘Where… where is he?’
Seoyul quickly searched for Dowoon. Then, among the many people, he saw a gaze fixed directly on him.
‘Esper-nim… it’s Esper-nim…’
Surge.
When he confirmed the face, tears began to well up. It had been so long since he’d seen that face. He had lost weight since before, and his jawline had become sharper.
Just as he had worried about Dowoon, had Dowoon also worried about him?
Thinking this, his heart ached and tears began to pour out.
In the distance, he could see Dowoon running toward them, sending people around him flying. Seoyul wiped away his tears and widened his eyes to capture the image more clearly.
His vision cleared momentarily, but when he faced Dowoon, who had approached, it blurred with heat again.
“Sniff…”
“Seoyul. You shouldn’t be here.”
Dowoon’s worried voice was heard. Seoyul couldn’t hold back any longer. It was hard to control the hot overflowing tears and emotions.
So he decided to confront them as they were.
Seoyul quickly grabbed Dowoon’s collar, pulled him down, and kissed him.
“Danger…”
Dowoon’s eyes widened, unable to finish his sentence.
Seoyul began to pour energy through their connected lips. A downpour of accumulated, massive emotions poured into Dowoon.
His job was to quickly restore Dowoon to perfect condition. And there was only one way to restore an Esper in a short time.
Seoyul clung to Dowoon and delved deeper between their lips.
“…!!”
Dowoon’s eyes, already disoriented by Seoyul’s Guiding, widened even more.
A tremendous energy, on a completely different level from when they were merely touching, began to rapidly restore his body.
He was quickly consumed by the sensation that only Seoyul and himself remained in this world.
He couldn’t come to his senses due to the overflowing emotions and terrifyingly ecstatic Guiding. Forgetting where he was and what the situation was, he began to actively cling to his Guide.
“Haah…”
Dowoon began to roughly intertwine and explore Seoyul’s tongue. He tightly embraced his Guide and absorbed everything from him.
‘Damn it.’
Profanity sprang forth naturally as blissful Guiding poured out like a flood from his lips.
The Guiding he had received until now wasn’t truly Guiding. Compared to what he was receiving now, it was merely a drop in the ocean.
If he hadn’t been practicing consistently, he might have fainted from Guiding shock—such was the enormous quantity.
As the energy threatened to devour him, Dowoon roughly explored Seoyul’s mouth and began to take control. Just as Seoyul was consuming him, Dowoon was consuming Seoyul in return.
“Haah…”
As the brief but intense kiss concluded, their lips slowly parted. Between the separated lips, the sound of Seoyul’s sobbing could be heard.
Dowoon wiped away the hot falling tears and met Seoyul’s eyes.
The person before him was so precious that his chest felt like it would burst. The fact that this Guide was his filled him with maddening love.
Like this… he wished time would stop like this, but he had a duty to fulfill.
Dowoon painfully whispered in his ear.
“I’ll be back.”
That phrase contained many emotions.
Excitement, longing, regret, responsibility.
And…
Relief.
Seoyul seemed to feel these too, as he answered with tears glistening in his large eyes.
“Come back… safely.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
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